Magazine type pencil



Nov. 26, 1940. J. D. Rossa-:R

MAGAZINE TYPE PENCIL Filed Aug. 20, 1940 INVENTOR n ATTORNEY dow/v l?. Foss/ff?,

mm v m LL. .NNN H. mm N EN wm mm mm mw E A mm /7 ,wm um Q ww Si E mw S. @LH EN Nw ww QN Patented 26, 1940 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGAZINE TYPE PENCIL John D. Rossier, Orange, Calif.

Application August 20, 1940, Serial No. 353,353

' (Cl. 1Z0-*17) 4 Claims.

This invention pertains to a magazine-type `pencil of novel construction in which the lead is positively and ,automatically advanced and ejected from the pencil by electromagnetic means. l

Magazine-type pencils of various,` kinds have been manufactured heretofore but all of them include mechanical means for advancing the lead ject to numerous objections.

from a lead magazine. in most instances involve a large number of small parts requiring precise workmanship and are sub- 'I'he pencil of this invention, however, is extremely simple in construction and 4distinguishes from prior pencils in position of the pencil inthe hand, nor does it req'uire the use of two hands, whereas this is generally the case with mechanicallyoperated pencils o f this general character.

In accordance with the present invention, the pencil is provided with a removable end portion containing a small battery. The -body portion of the pencil includes an electromagnetic coil 'having a movable armature member carrying lead-gripping means. A suitable switch carried by the casing closes a circuit to the electromagnetica coils, causing the armature to move towards the end of the pencil and thereby adf vancing the lead a predetermined distance. Re-

peated clo e of the circuit switch will cause repeated adv nc'e of the pencil.

. An object of the present invention, therefore, is to disclose and provide a magazine-type pencil containing electromagnetic lead-advancing means.

' A further object is to disclose and provide a simple and effective construction for a magazinetype pencil in which the lead is advanced elec-e tromagnetically.

A further object-is to provide a mechanicaltype pencil operated by electromagnetic neans in which the clip acts as a contact switch.

These and other objects will becomeapparent tothse skilled in the art from the following vdescription of an exemplary form of the invention illustrated in the appended drawing, in which:

made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken along the plane II-II" of Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is another transverse section taken along the plane III- III of Fig. l.'

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a pencilA Such mechanical means provided with lead-gripping means which, in the body portion or casing I having a conical end portion II forming the point of the pencil, a suitably axiallyldirected bore being formed therein and adapted to receive and guidingly support the lead. The opposing end of the casing I0 may be open and may have formed therein threads I2 adapted to engage an internally threaded removable end portion I3. The casing l0 and end portion I3 may be made of any suitable plastic, thermoplastic or thermosetting material, resinous compound, or the like. made of metal but the structure would have to be changed somewhat for' reasons which will be apparent hereinafter, l

Adjacent the removable end portion I3 and within the casing I0 is a magazine for leads, such magazine being generally-indicated at I5. The magazine may be provided with a removable closure I 6 carrying a contact point Il. The other end of the magazine may be provided with a port I8 surrounded by inclined end walls I9 leading to said port. Y

Between the lead magazine VI and the conical end portion II there is positioned an electromagnetic lead-advancing unit; such unit may include a spool 2U provided with a suitable winding of insulated wire 2| and a central bore 22. Slidably positioned within the bore 22 is a movable iron core or armature 23 having a disc-shaped end portion facing the magazine I5. A 'bore 24 extends' through this armature 23, said bore 24 being in alignment with the port I8 from the magazine and inl alignment with the port in the end of the pencil. Carried by the outwardly flaring end portion of the armature 23 are two or more-lead-gripping means which may comprise resilient members 26 attached by one end to armature 23, the free or movable end s of such members 2E being directed inwardly and toward fthe bore 24 of the`armature 23. The inner edges of the members "26 should be spaced a distance slightly smallerl than the diameter of the leads emitted by the port I8.

Between the spool 2U and the outwardly aring end portion of armature 23 a light spring 21 Jfmay be positioned, such spring normally urging the armature 23 out of the bore 22 of the spool I'he opposite end of the spool 20 may be illustrative form, comprise resilient portions 28 inclined toward the axis of the spool 20 and shoes 29 substantially parallel to the axis of the spool 20. The inner edgesA of .the shoes 2B may be slightly roughened, serrated, knurled or the like These parts may also be y for the purpose of firmly gripping lead fed thereto by the resto! the device.

'I'he device also includes an electrical circuit comprising a battery 3l contained within the removable end portion I3. The battery III may be provided with a central terminal 3l adapted to contact the contact -point I1. A light spring 32 held between the battery 3l and the end of the removable portion I3 may assure proper connec- The con-l insert 35 carried'by the casing I0. A resilient clip 31 may be attached to the removable end portion I3 by suitable rivet or other metallic element,

such element also retaining a ilat leaf spring 38 within the endportion I3, such leaf spring 33 being adapted to contact the outer metallic housing of the battery 30, such outer housing forming the other terminal or pole of the battery30.

From the description given hereinabove, it will be noted that in the event a suitable supply of leads is placed in the magazine I5 and one oi the leads extends through the port I3 into the space between the lead-gripping means 28, such lead can be positively advanced toward the end of the pencil by simply pressing the clip 31 against the contact or insert 35. Every time the circuit is thus closed, the coil 2l is energized and the 'movable lead-advancing armature 23 will moveV lfiuence of the spring 21 as soon as the circuit When usedV is broken by the resilient clip 31. in an ordinary manner, the leads from the magazine l5 will follow each other through the port I8 and may -be caused to be ejected or advanced a short distance by simply pressing the spring clip 31 against the side of the pencil. Attention is called to theiact that the lead-advancing means 26 may be said to be uni-directional since the in"- cline of these members toward kthe bore 24 permits ready entry of lead between the members 26, but the edges of such members resist any backward movement of the lead into the magazine I5. Similarly, the lead-gripping members 28 and 29 maybe said to be unidirectional in theineffect inasmuch as they resist the return of lead into the pencil and therefore permit any desired writing pressure to be used.

The construction described hereinabove has been referred to as onein which the casing III is made of an insulating material. Obviously, metal can be used for the casing oi the pencil when desired but in such event the battery needs to be insulated from the removable housing I3 and from the casing III except at the terminal 3| and at a point connected with'the clipf31, the clip 31 being similarly insulated from the removable end portion I3.

Attention is furthercalled to the fact that ordinarily the end oi' the clip 31 is spaced from the casing I0 and therefore the circuit is broken. The circuit is also automatically broken when the pencil is carried in the pocket since the clip 31 is then spaced from the casing III by the cloth of the pocket. I

vAs shown in the modified form, the electromagnetic-advancing-mea'ns may comprise a spool 43 provided with a coilv2I and a movable armature member 40 provided with the lead-gripping elements 26', the member 40 being movable toward and away from the spool 43 upon pins 42 carried by-the end of the spool 43, such pins extending through indentations formed in the edges of the member 4I. A very light spirally wound helicalspring may be position between the member 40 and the spool 43 for the purpose of moving the member 40 back to its original position at the end of each coil-energizing period.

In this connection, it may be noted that the spring 21 shown in the iirst embodiment is also spirally wound so that it may compress into a substantially dat thin layer.

I claim:

1. A magazine-type pencil provided with a hollow casing having a conical end portion and an opposite removable end portion; a magazine for leads in the casing adjacent said removable end portion, said magazine being provided with a lead discharge port; an electromagnetic leadadvancing unit in said casing between said magazine and conical end portionl said unit including a movable member provided with lead-gripping means; a battery in said removable end portion, and an electrical circuit connecting said battery and said lead-advancing unit, said circuit including a normally open switch.

2. A magazine-type pencil provided with a hollow casing having a conical end portion and an opposite removable end portion; a magazine for leads in the casing adjacent said removable end portion, said magazine being provided with a lead discharge port; an electromagnetic lead-advancing unit in said casing between said magazine and conical end portion, said unit including a movable member provided with lead-gripping means; a battery in said removable end portion, and an electrical circuit connecting said battery l and said lead-advancing unit, said circuit including a normally open switch, said switch comprising a clip carried by said removable end portion.

c. magazine-type pencil provided with a no1- low casing having a conical end portion and an opposite removable end portion; a magazine for leads in the casing adjacent said removable end portion, said magazine being provided with a removable cover plate and a lead discharge port, inclined end walls in said magazine leading to said port, an electromagnetic lead-advancing unit in said casingbetween said magazine and conical end portion, said unit including a movable member provided with lead-gripping means; a battery in said removable end portion. and an electrical circuit connecting said battery and said lead-advancing unit, said circuit including a normally open switch.

4. .A magazlnetype pencil provided with a hollow casing having a conical end portion and an opposite removable end portion; a magazine for leads in the casing'adjacent said removable end portion, said magazine being provided with a removable cover plate and a lead discharge port, inclined end walls in said magazine leading to said port, an electromagnetic lead-advancing unit in said casing between said magazine and conical end portion, said unit including a movable member provided with 1eadgripplng means. a spring urging said gripping means toward said magazine; a battery in saidremovable end portion, and an electrical circuit connecting said battery and said lead-advancing unit, said circuit including a normally open switch.

JOHN D. ROSSIER. 

